1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for the positioning of tires which are conveyed separately whilst lying on a conveyor, to a station at which the tires are aligned with respect to a plane extending at right angles to the conveyor by means of adjustable stops and are exposed to a treatment, processing or measuring operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Machines are known for the treatment and processing of motor vehicle tires, to which the tires are conveyed in the recumbent position by means of a roller conveyor, are fed singly into the machine and are centrally lined up with respect to tire reception means of the machine by means of a centring system. The centring system commonly comprises four rocking or pivoting levers having stops at their extremities which are placed in contact with the outer periphery of the tire conveyed into the machine and thereby place the tire in its central reception position. After this centring action, the tire is grasped by the reception means and lifted into an operating position. In this position, the tire is then placed in rotation by means of a separate driving mechanism, so that the intended operations may be performed on the same by means of appropriate tools.
The separate driving mechanism is needed, in the case of these known machines for the tire in question, inasmuch as--in view of the considerable contact thrust of the tools working on the same--on the one hand the tire is rotatably installed in the said reception means, and on the other hand a comparatively high torque overcoming the operating forces of the tools is required for its rotation.
There are other operations during which tires may well have to be turned around their axis of rotation, but during which the tire is acted upon by no forces or small forces only. For example, operations of this kind may consist in providing the tire with a lubricant so that it may be more easily fitted on and withdrawn again from flanges or the like of tire processing or tire testing machines. The tire is also placed in rotation by means of a separate drive in the case of machines or devices organised for this purpose.